Dexterous hanger bar and container



Sept 6, 1966 F. P. BRENNAN 3,

DEXTEROUS HANGER BAR AND CONTAINER Filed March 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY i r- M AT'IORNEYS Sept. 6, 1966 F. P. BRENNAN 32 DEXTEROUS HANGER BAR AND CONTAINER Filed March 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TTORNE YS United States Patent 3,270,865 DEXTEROUS HANGER BAR AND CONTAINER Francis P. Brennan, 1057 Rolling Drive, Lisle, Ill. Filed Mar. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 440,228 6 Claims. (Cl. 2067) This invention relates generally to moving in transporting equipment and more particularly relates to an improved wardrobe hanger bar construction and container wherein the hanger bar and the Wire hangers carried thereby may be locked against inadvertent movement or displacement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wardrobe hanger bar which may conveniently be fabricated from a single piece of sheet metal shaped to afford improved structural resistance to stresses and strains and having a unique locking mechanism which is extremely simple and which effectively utilizes the overlapping cover flaps of an ordinary wardrobe container to lock and retain the hooks of the hangers in firm placement on the cross bar, thereby preventing inadvertent displacement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wardrobe hanger bar construction with an improved hook-locking means.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hook-locking means for a wardrobe hanger bar construction which necessitates only minimal constructural revisions of the container.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of a wardrobe hanger bar incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a wardrobe container having an improved hanger bar in accordance with the principles of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the hanger bar in position and the cover flaps closed and in locking and retaining position, relative to a typical coat hanger carried on the cross bar;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal fragmentary cross section through another form of container and illustrates the functional features of the hanger bar in the organization offering greatest utility;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view somewhat similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the operation of the invention with a wire garment hanger having a rectangularized hook portion;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the improved hanger bar of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view thereof; and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of an alternative clip construction.

As shown on the drawings:

A typical corrugated wardrobe is shown generally at 10 and comprises a front panel 11 and a rear panel 12 which are in spaced opposed relationship. A side panel 13 is also provided which is in spaced opposed parallel relation to a second side panel 14. The front panel 11 may be scored as at 11a and separated from the side panel 13 as at 11b to facilitate loading the wardrobe with clothes. A tape 15 is used to rejoin the panels 11 and 13 after the wardrobe is filled.

It will be understood the wardrobe 10 is provided with a bottom construction, the details of which are not necessary to a proper understanding of the invention.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the front panel 11 has at the upper extremities thereof a scoreline 16 forming a hinge for a front flap 17. The rear panel 12 has a scoreline 18 forming a hinge for a rear flap 19. The side wall 13 has at its upper extremity a scoreline 20 forming a hinge for a side flap 21 and the side panel 14 has at its upper extremity a scoreline 22 forming a hinge for a side flap 23. Thus, each of the opposed side flaps 21 and 23 hinge inwardly and each of the front and rear flaps 17 and 19 hinge inwardly and together with one another form a closure cover for the wardrobe container 10.

It is contemplated by the present invention that the wardrobe container 10 will be utilized to store and transport garments suspended on wire hangers such as a wire coat hanger of standard construction. The upper portion of such a hanger is illustrated in FIGURE 2 wherein there is shown a wire form member bent at one extremity thereof to form a curvate hook 24. The wire form member is then bent to provide a garment-supporting loop 26 and the opposite end thereof 27 is Wound as at 28 into a locking relationship with the shank of the hook 24, thereby providing an integrated structure on which a garment may be suspended.

In order to suspend a plurality of garments within the wardrobe container 10, a wardrobe hanger bar is provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention which is shown generally at 30. The hanger bar 30 extends between the opposed side panels 13 and 14 and is preferably supported thereby. In the form of the container shown in FIGURE 1, the side flaps 21 and 23 are each provided with a slotted opening 31 and 33, respectively, located at a medial point immediately adjacent the corresponding scoreline 20 and 22.

If desired, however, the principles of the present invention can be employed with a wardrobe container which is not specifically recessed as at 31 and 33, but which has the structural arrangement shown in FIGURE 3 wherein is shown a side wall 13a and a side wall 14a having at its upper extremity scorelines 20a and 22a, respectively. There is again provided a side flap 21a and a side flap 23a, however, instead of providing a recess such as the recesses 31 and 33, the side flaps 21a and 23a are reversely turned at 34 and 36, thereby forming a pocket in which is received a mounting means 37 provided on opposite ends of the hanger bar 30.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the wardrobe hanger bar 30 has a cross bar which is formed in the shape of an upright U when seen in cross-section. The hanger bar 30 is fabricated from a material such as sheet metal and the cross 'bar herein shown at 38 has a lower bight 39 separating spaced parallel vertical legs 40 and 41 each terminating in a gently rounded outwardly extending reversely turned flange 42 and 43 respectively. The upper surfaces of the flanges 42 and 43 provide spaced support surfaces for engaging the hook 24 of the wire hangers.

At the opposite ends thereof, the U-shaped body portion forming the cross bar 38 flares outwardly to form a web 44 which is reversely turned to form an end Wall 46 disposed transversely of the U-shaped cross bar 38.

The end wall 46 extends upwardly and has at its upper extremity a bight portion 47 which blends into the depending outwardly spaced leg forming the mounting means 37 (FIGURES 5 and 6).

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a plurality of L-shaped clip members are provided, each of the clip members being shown generally at 50.

As is most clearly shown in FIGURE 2, each L-shaped clip member 50 has a long leg 51 which extends into the interior of the U-shaped cross-bar and is preferably fastened in firm assembly to one of the vertical legs 40 or 41 (41 in this example), by suitable fastening means such as spot welding or a pressed fit joint. The L-shaped clip member 50 is further provided with an offset short leg 52 offset from the long leg 51 at an angel of and spaced above the level of the flanges 42 and 43 to form an inlet throat at 53. To provide a deeper throat for the flap the clip member may be constructed as shown at 50a in FIGURE 7 wherein the leg 51a has an otfset 65 extending the inlet throat by the extent or depth of the offset as at 66.

The front and rear flaps 17 and 19 are selected to be of a size affording limited overlap and, accordingly, in order to pass the clip members 50, the free marginal edge 54 of the rear flap 19 is notched as at 56, thereby to form clearance recesses so the flap 19 will pass the clip members 50 when moved into the horizontal position illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

As will be noted upon inspecting FIGURES 2 and 3, the flap 19 will engage against the hooks 24 of the hangers carried on the cross bar 38. In order to lock the flap 19 in engagement with the hooks, the front flap 17 is folded into horizontal disposition and the leading edge 57 thereof is inserted through the throat 53 under the leg 52 into a clamping relation, thereby securely locking both the hanger bar 30 and the hangers carried thereby against inadvertent displacement. So secured, the flaps 21 and 23 or 21a and 23a can be folded inwardly and secured together with any ordinary fastening means such as a staple or a piece of tape. Tape can be placed over the ends of the wardrobe to reinforce the same.

In FIGURE 2 wherein the flaps 19 and 17 engage the curved hooks 24, a deformation is indicated in the cardboard flap.

In the arrangement of FIGURE 4, a wire coat hanger is provided with a rectangularized hook having a vertical tip 60, a horizontal leg 61 and -a hook body portion 62. The portion of the hook shown at 61 is at right angles to the portions 60 and 62, thereby forming a rectangular hook which sits flatly on the flanges 42 and 43 and thus does not necessitate deformation of the cardboard flaps when the flaps are in closed position.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wardrobe hanger bar comprising,

a cross bar being in the form of a sheet form member shaped upright U-shape in cross-section and including a lower bight portion,

two vertical parallel legs spaced to form an open trough,

and an outwardly turned flange at the upper portion of each leg,

means at opposite ends of said cross bar for supprting said cross bar in a wardrobe,

and an L-shaped clip means comprising a first leg connected to one of said vertical legs and a second leg offset from said first leg to extend across said trough and spaced above the level of said flanges and forming together therewith a clamping recess opening sideways of said cross bar and receiving a wardrobe cover flap to retain hanger hooks on said cross bar.

2. In combination,

a container having opposed side panels,

a cross bar having means at opposite ends thereof supporting said cross bar on said side panels,

said cross bar having a sheet form member shaped as an upright U-shape in cross-section and including a lower bight portion,

two vertical parallel legs,

and an outwardly turned flange at the upper portion of each leg,

and an L-shaped clip means on one of said vertical legs, having a horizontal leg spaced from the top of one of said flanges and forming together therewith a clamping throat, front and rear flaps at the top of said container,

one of said flaps being recessed to pass said clip means,

the other of said flaps insertable into said throat and said flaps being engageable with said hanger hooks carried on said cross bar to restrain the hangers against inadvertent movement.

3. In a wardrobe hanger bar having a hanger hook supporting cross bar, the improvement of a clip means forming a horizontally disposed leg extending transversely of and spaced above said cross bar and together therewith forming a clamping throat opening sideways of said cross bar for receiving a container flap,

thereby locking hanger hooks against movement on the cross bar.

4. In a wardrobe hanger bar,

a cross bar made of sheet metal and shaped to form at least one vertical leg and a horizontal hook supporting surface at an upper portion of said cross bar,

and plural clip members carried by said vertical leg and each having a horizontal leg extending transversely of and spaced above said surface and forming together therewith a throat opening sideways of said cross bar for receiving a flap of a wardrobe container to lock and retain hanger hooks on said hook-supporting surface.

5. A corrugated container comprising,

front, rear and opposed side panels all disposed vertically, and corresponding front, rear and opposed flaps said panels and said flaps having scorelines formed between each corresponding panel and flap,

said front and rear flaps and said opposed flaps arranged to fold into horizontal position to form a cover for the container,

said opposed flaps each being recessed adjacent a corresponding scoreline,

a cross bar extending between said opposed side panels and having mounting means engaging said side panels at the recessed portions of said flaps,

said cross bar having a plurality of L-shaped clips each including a leg spaced above said cross bar and all opening in a common direction, one of said front and rear flaps having recesses formed therein through which said clips extend when said one flap is folded downward, whereby said one flap will engage the hooks of hangers suspended on said cross bar,

and the other of said front and rear flaps having its margin received between said clip leg and said one p,

thereby locking the hangers on the cross bar against inadvertent movement.

6. In a wardrobe hanger bar as defined in claim 2,

said clip means having a vertical leg formed with an offset portion providing an enlarged throat for receiving the container flap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 933,454 9/1909 Hudson 229-47 2,828,905 4/1958 Frizz/ell 229-47 3,026,996 3/ 1962 Belsinger 2067 3,084,804 4/1963 Belsinger 211--l24 3,162,314 12/1964 Belsinger 2067 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

5. A CORRUGATED CONTAINER COMPRISING, FRONT, REAR AND OPPOSED SIDE PANELS ALL DISPOSED VERTICALLY, AND CORRESPONDING FRONT, REAR AND OPPOSED FLAPS, SAID PANELS AND SAID FLAPS HAVING SCORELINES FORMED BETWEEN EACH CORRESPONDING PANEL AND FLAP, SAID FRONT AND REAR FLAPS AND SAID OPPOSED FLAPS ARRANGED TO FOLD INTO HORIZONTAL POSITION TO FORM A COVER FOR THE CONTAINER, SAID OPPOSED FLAPS EACH BEING RECESSED ADJACENT A CORRESPONDING SCORELINE, A CROSS BAR EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED SIDE PANELS AND HAVING MOUNTING MEANS ENGAGING SAID SIDE PANELS AT THE RECESSED PORTIONS OF SAID FLAPS, SAID CROSS BAR HAVING A PLURALITY OF L-SHAPED CLIPS EACH INCLUDING A LEG SPACED ABOVE SAID CROSS BAR AND ALL OPENING IN A COMMON DIRECTION, ONE OF SAID FRONT AND REAR FLAPS HAVING RECESSES FORMED THEREIN THROUGH WHICH SAID CLIPS EXTEND WHEN SAID ONE FLAP IS FOLDED DOWNWARD, WHEREBY SAID ONE FLAP WILL ENGAGE THE HOOKS OF HANGERS SUSPENDED ON SAID CROSS BAR, AND THE OTHER OF SAID FRONT AND REAR FLAPS HAVING ITS MARGIN RECEIVED BETWEEN SAID CLIP LEG AND SAID ONE FLAP, THEREBY LOCKING THE HANGERS ON THE CROSS BAR AGAINST INADVERTENT MOVEMENT. 